B. Content

There are seven levels that will proceed from the very sensual, narrative level over simple survey to more complex analyses.

– Aggada

Nobody skips the Aggada level (see explanation under Introduction to Content).You are going to need it as you try and implement the material, because it will give you ideas and strategies to use with your own community. But it should (hopefully) also nourish you.

It has been difficult to find appropriate material to deliver insight into the Muslim experience, but I think we have now found some workarounds.

– Surveys

I’m going to assume your knowledge of some of the better known entry points, which I will nonetheless reference, but I’m going to present you here with a number of challenges and also show you how fruitful this can be (insert: clip of Kohelet exercise)

– Sociology

Why religion in a secular world? do we need it? and, if so, what for? We’ve got some some nice stuff here.

– Special Cases

There will be crossovers as well as examples of unique solutions here. Some special topics…

– Utopias and Craziness

Here we move to the extremes, because that is where the danger lies. We are also going to deal with strategies …

– Philosophy

Both Jewish and Muslim philosophy deal with ultimate questions about the nature and purpose of the universe and man’s role in it. These have (unfortunately) been excluded from Western philosophy (with some very limited exceptions). And so we are going to ask a trusted colleague to fill in this gap.

– Transcendence

What’s it all about? You get to this level by a hard path, building up structures that will sustain you. Trivial statement: “all mysticism is the same ” are rejected in a preference for understanding the uniqueness. We know where we’re going, but it’s a journey. Let’s travel together…